1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the internal combustion engine art, and more particularly, to an improved internal combustion engine piston ring gap seal. The invention is specifically concerned with a ring gap seal, for a piston compression ring, which is moved into a sealing position on a compression ring by gas pressure, to seal the inner end and top end of the ring gap in the compression ring.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is well known in the internal combustion engine art to employ at least two compression rings on an engine piston to prevent blow-by of gas pressure past the piston ring during operation of an engine. Due to the inherent construction and operation of a compression ring, it is provided with a ring gap to allow for outward expansion and contraction during sliding engagement of the rings with the cylinder bore. The ring gap causes a certain amount of blow-by to exist which heretofore has not been avoidable with the prior compression ring structures. In order to overcome this blow-by, the size of the ring gap in the compression rings has been decreased, but such tactics have resulted in compression ring sticking, and increased compression ring friction, and engine wear.
Excessive costs are required in the control of small ring gaps in new engines. Normal new engine break-in causes immediate ring gap growth and an undesirable amount of blow-by for the life of the engine, until the excessive blow-by causes loss of engine efficiency. In order to overcome excessive blow-by, new rings are installed to decrease the ring gap.